When it comes to growing a big, bountiful harvest of vegetables in pots, containers and raised beds, it all starts with planting in the best organic potting soil possible. And one of the easiest ways to do that is by creating your own right at home! Popular vegetable plants like cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers are …
If you are looking to add beautiful foliage, elegant blooms, and a steady stream of hummingbirds visiting your landscape - consider growing coral bells! The tall, wispy blooms of coral bells are a favorite of hummingbirds. The tiny flowers are perfect for the long, extended beaks of the fast moving bird. But they are also …
Did you know that growing Oregano is not only a great way to add delicious flavor to your culinary creations, but help repel mosquitoes too? It's true! In addition to oregano filling all types of dishes with its tasty, earthy, aromatic leaves, the perennial herb is also quite handy for repelling mosquitoes and other common …
Nothing can help make the chores of gardening season a little more manageable and fun than having your very own beautiful potting bench, especially when you can build it yourself! When it comes to transplanting seedlings, re-potting plants, or mixing up a new batch of potting soil, a potting bench is quite the helpful tool. …
If you want to spice up your flowering pots, containers and hanging baskets this year, you need try your hand at planting and growing ornamental peppers. If there is one plant that has soared in popularity over the last decade, it is the ornamental pepper. And it's only growing hotter and more popular every year. …
Growing in raised beds is a great way to enjoy flower and vegetable gardening without encountering many of the difficulties traditional backyard gardens can pose. For starters, raised beds do not require a large growing area or existing soil to create. In fact, you don't have to have a yard at all. Raised bed gardens …
Looking for a few unique tomato plants to grow this year to add a little flair and bold flavor to your garden? When it comes to growing tomatoes in the garden, or in pots or containers for that matter, there is no need to settle for planting the same old typical varieties year after year. …
There is nothing quite like growing basil to add beauty and fragrance to your garden or patio. Especially when you consider it brings incredible flavor to your kitchen too. Basil is a tasty annual herb that grows well in nearly any garden setting. It flourishes in traditional gardens and raised beds, and grows equally well …
When it comes to selecting the best cucumber plants to grow this year, success really boils down to finding the right plants for your space and needs. Cucumbers are one of the tastiest crops a gardener can grow. And one of the more popular plants too. In fact, cucumbers rank second only behind the beloved …
Is it really possible to melt snow and ice safely from sidewalks and driveways without harming perennials, shrubs, trees, lawns - and pets too? When winter arrives with all of its fury, it can certainly make for dangerous and slippery conditions. Especially when it comes to the driveways and sidewalks right outside of our home. …
Planting and growing boxwood shrubs in your landscape is an excellent way to add year round foliage and interest to flowerbeds, patios and more. Even better, it is interest that won't attract hungry deer! Boxwoods are an easy care shrub that bring all kinds of versatility to nearly any landscape design. They can be shaped …
Nothing will help inspire, motivate and energize a gardener more than reading a great garden book. Especially as winter settles in, and all you can do is dream of getting outdoors to work in the dirt! Today, we take a look at 5 must-read books that can help in every aspect of your gardening prowess. …
With gardening becoming more popular than ever, this holiday season is a great time to fill your favorite gardener's stocking with the perfect Christmas gift! Finding the "perfect" present for a gardener can be a tough task. Especially when it comes to finding something they really want to use - or something they don't already …
When it comes to storing vegetable and flower seeds safely through winter, a few simple tips go a long way in keeping them fresh and viable. Let's face it, buying seeds every year is expensive. Moreover, it can be difficult finding the seeds you love most. And that is exactly why saving seeds, or holding …
Frigid winter weather is just around the corner, but that doesn't mean you can't keep growing fresh vegetable plants in a cold frame! Cold frames are an incredible way to extend the growing season. With their enclosed walls and sloped, see-through cover, they allow the sun to warm the soil just enough to germinate and …
Although growing burning bushes can add big spring, summer and fall color to your landscape, there are a few downsides to planting this shrub that blazes in autumn with bright red foliage. Burning bushes are known for their fast growth and beautiful leaves. Especially as autumn rolls around, and their canopy of foliage turns to …
Growing lupines in your perennial flowerbeds is an excellent way to provide interest and color, all while improving a beds overall soil quality too! Although you wouldn't know it by their gorgeous long blooms, lupines are a member of the pea family. And like other pea crops, they fix nitrogen levels in the soil as …
When it comes to finding a low-maintenance, easy to manage ornamental grass for your landscape, it's hard to beat feather reed grass. In fact, it very well might just be the best ornamental grass choice of all! Ornamental grasses have soared in popularity over the past few decades. Not only are most varieties drought and …
Did you know that how you mow your lawn before winter can play a big part in the overall health and beauty of your yard next year? Although lawns head quickly into dormancy after the first few hard frosts or freeze, they can still sustain damage after they stop growing. Especially if they haven't been …
If you are looking for a great way to add new perennial plants to your landscape without breaking the bank, it's time to organize a fall flower swap with your friends and neighbors! So what exactly is a perennial flower swap? In a nutshell, it's the perfect way for fellow gardeners to share and exchange …
Fall is filled with a whole slew of outdoor garden and landscape chores, but there is one you can avoid without worry : the need to fertilize perennial plants in your flowerbeds! Not only is it unnecessary, it can actually be harmful to the long-term health of perennials. In fact, in some cases, it can …
Cutting back perennials in the fall is not only a great way to keep flowerbeds looking neat and tidy through winter, but it also aids greatly in keeping plants vibrant and blooming the following year. Removing spent foliage and blooms helps a plant focus on recharging it's roots and resources. It also plays a pivotal …
How you prepare your garden for winter this fall plays a huge roll in how your garden will perform and produce next year. All too often, the vegetable garden plot become an afterthought as autumn settles in. Once plants begin to lose their vigor, and production slows or stops all together, many gardeners simply let …
Bringing herbs indoors to grow and use all winter long is one of the best ways to keep the fresh taste of the garden alive and thriving during wintertime cooking. Even better, potting up and bring your herbs indoors to grow is a great way to keep a little gardening in your life too! After …
If you are looking to spice up your early spring landscape with more than just tulips, consider planting hyacinth bulbs this fall. Hyacinths, like tulips, are a spring flowering perennial bulb. But unlike the cup shaped blooms of a tulip, hyacinth produces spiky, upright, star-shaped flowers run the length of the stem. And are they …
Nothing adds a little pizazz to a landscape like a beautiful dwarf Japanese maple tree. The tree's compact growth, combined with its crooked, rambling branches deliver big interest, even in the dead of winter when the leaves are long gone. And it only gets better when its wispy, airy foliage comes to life in the …
If you are looking for a tough, drought-resistant perennial to grow along walkways, paths and flowerbed borders - liriope might just be the perfect plant for you. Liriope, commonly referred to as lily turf, is truly one amazing perennial. Not only is it drought and deer-resistant, it can also handle a wide range of climates, …
When it comes to perennials that shine with fall color, it's hard to beat the benefits of planting and growing Sedum. Sedum, also known as Stonecrop, is a hardy perennial that is both deer and drought resistant. And although it's waxy, compact foliage brings excellent spring and summer interest to flowerbeds, it is in the …
When it comes to fall lawn chores that can help propel lawns to healthier, lush growth next year, it's hard to beat aerating! Aerating is one of the most over-looked tasks when it comes to overall lawn care. And yet, it helps solve so many of the problems and issues that plague lawns every year. …
Hardy geraniums are a great choice for adding all-season blooming color and interest to the landscape. Not only are they low-maintenance, but these perennial geraniums are highly deer and drought resistant too. Perennial Geraniums vs. Annual Geraniums Perennial geraniums are a far cry from the annual variety many gardeners are familiar with. Annual geraniums are …
Is there really a way to know if the melons growing in your garden are perfectly ripe and ready for picking? There is nothing more devastating to a gardener than picking a melon at the wrong time. Pick too soon, and you are left with a useless, tasteless, bitter melon. And one, that unfortunately, will …
Growing ornamental cabbage is a great way to bring unique color to your Autumn landscape. Not only are they perfect for brightening up containers, pots, but flowerbeds too! These annual plants truly are the perfect choice for adding late season color and foliage. Not only can the cabbages flourish in the cool fall temperatures, they …
How and when you water newly planted trees plays a huge role in not only a tree's survival, but its long-term health as well. The first few years of a tree's life are critical in building and establishing a strong, healthy root system. A tree's roots, much like any plant, are its major lifeline. Not …
Learning to grow, harvest and store your own crop of potatoes is one of the easiest ways to produce lasting food from your garden. Unlike tomatoes, cucumbers and many other garden vegetables, potatoes don't require canning or freezing for long term storage. In fact, once harvested and cured, all they really need to keep for …
Coneflowers are a wonderful perennial addition to the landscape, and grow easily with little need for long term maintenance. Even better, this nearly trouble-free plant is both deer and drought resistant as well! A member of the Daisy family, Coneflowers produce flowers with colorful petals that surround a rounded center seed cone. And that seed …
When it comes to spraying weedkiller around trees and throughout your landscape, it may be more dangerous to existing plants than you might think. Beyond weedkillers harmful effects to bees and important pollinators, and their possible contamination to wells and nearby water supplies - they can also be quite harmful to the long-term health of …
If you are looking for a drought and deer resistant perennial with late season blooming power, growing Black Eyed Susan is the perfect solution. Not only will it add lasting color and beauty to your landscape, it's also extremely low-maintenance. In fact, Black-Eyed Susan is one the easiest perennials around to grow and maintain! And …
Today's This Is My Garden article takes a look a close look at 3 tree varieties, that although still quite popular among homeowners, should avoid being planted for the long-term damage, headaches, and issues they cause. Nothing adds lasting beauty, protective shade and life to a landscape like trees do. But one thing is for …
Saving seeds from lettuce, kale, radishes, peas and other spring crops isn't just easy, it's also a great way to save big money. Let's face it, buying seed to grow your own food can be expensive. Heirloom seeds often run $2 to $3 or more for just a small quantity of seed. But by saving …
If you are looking to attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies to your landscape, growing bee balm is the perfect plant for you! Native to North America, the hardy perennial is well-known for it's gorgeous, spiking blooms - and those showy flowers just happen to be wonderful for attracting some of natures best pollinators too. It's …
If you are looking for an incredible low-maintenance shrub to add to your landscape, consider growing weigela! Not only does this flowering shrub add beautiful color and texture, it also happens to be resistant to deer too! Weigela has become increasingly popular in recent years. Available in a variety of colors in leaves and blooms, …
Watering vegetable plants may seem like such a simple task, but believe it or not, how and when it is done makes a huge difference between success and failure in the garden! Hydrating needs certainly vary based on location and local weather. Those who live in or near desert-like conditions will always need to water …